My Perfect Word for 2024

Stagedoor Buttercup with Melanie Mayron, December 31, 2023

In the 1980s when I was thirty-something I was a regular watcher of the television show, "Thirtysomething." It didn't depict my life in New York City, but the characters and situations were close enough. In those long ago days before streaming I'd make an effort to be home to watch the show. 

Thirty-five years slip by and I got a ticket to see an off Broadway play, Madwomen of the West. It was an enjoyable and interesting show and the actors were known to me, especially Marilu Henner of Taxi fame, Brooke Adam, who I remembered from "Days of Heaven," and Melanie Mayron, who was one of my favorites in Thirtysomething. 

  After the show I stayed at the stage door and took pictures of, and with, some of the cast. I was amazed at how friendly the actors were to the handful of audience that was waiting for photographs and autographs. I especially liked the picture above with Melanie Mayron, who couldn't have been friendlier. Though we didn't exchange more than two dozen words I felt as though we were old college friends. 

You may ask what does this have to do with my perfect word for 2024. My word has nothing to do with thirtysomething or theater, but it does have to do with the warmth and friendliness I found at the stage door. 

Two weeks ago I selected my word for 2024. My word for 2023 was Pace and my word for 2024 was going to be Peace, just the difference of a vowel. I'd started looking at pictures and a few quotes that I wanted to use in my post. I was just about set, until yesterday afternoon. The stage door pictures followed a very friendly interaction at a restaurant. My friend and I sat down just to have coffee before the show, but the staff and other diners were so friendly that the half hour visit turned into something we were still happily remembering  on our way home. It was all because people were friendly. 

Peace is a great word and it's my deepest prayer for 2024, but it's not the word that sets my personal vision. I've been selecting a word since 2012 and each year the word chooses me. I don't choose the word and this year Friendly chose me. I tend to be friendly, but I'm going to try to be just a little friendlier. I'm going to remember that a smile, a kind word, saying hello might make this enormous city just a little bit smaller and a little bit warmer. 

Several people have asked about choosing a "perfect word" and I found the first blog post I wrote about it in 2011.  My first perfect word was (Embrace) Change for 2012. At that time I was looking to retire in 2012 and retirement was the change I (believed I)  was approaching. But the change in my life, totally unforeseeable in December 2011 was a spinal cord tumor that would be diagnosed in May. 

That's my perfect word and that's a wrap on 2023. I'll be back with blog posts on My Journey of  1100 Miles -- yes, you read that correctly -- No-Spending January, with a twist this year, and my favorite reads of 2023.

As ever, thanks for visiting and as ever, my thanks for your friendship in 2023 and through the years. I couldn't have done it without you.